Here's what I've been up to...

Let me introduce Nolan Brian, born 5/19, 8 lbs. 12 oz, 21 in.

I was so excited when I started my blog earlier this year and had high ambitions to post lots of great creations....Then pregnancy at 36 hit me. OMG!!! I was just plan exhausted all the time. Not much got created when I was pregnant and now that he is here, not sure when I'll get time to be creative.
Nolan is 2 weeks old and I'm still recovering from the c-section. I'm also struggling with breast feeding. I so want to have our normal on the go life back but my body isn't ready for it yet.
Hopefully, more posts will come soon of great creations. For now I will just focus on healing and loving this beautiful creation.

Valentine's and a Presidental puppet

Yes, another late post but this should have me up to date...for now.
We found this idea in a couple of places, but here is our version:

We used a flower shaped punch and punched a lot of tissue paper flowers. Then printed "Happy Valentine's Day From: Melissa" on green cardstock and punched the words out with a heart shaped punch. We folded the flowers into quarters and snipped off a tiny bit and used a hole punch on the heart to make holes to slide the flowers and heart up the sucker stick.

Lissy's 3rd grade project was to make a puppet of an assigned president. She was assigned Bill Clinton. We started with a tan pillow case that "looks like skin color."

We drew a head shape and then rectangular body shape. Cut him out and sewed it together, well that was the plan. I thought I could sew. I've made projects in the past, basic sewing projects but I did it. I really think I need to service my machine. The part that holds the bobbin in keeps coming out and it's hit or miss if I'm going to get good stitches out of it, no matter how many times I try at the same settings.

This is just one of the results I was getting. Finally, I got it going though.

We had it going well enough for Lissy to sew part of it. :)

Here is the finished shape. We raided my craft stashes to find the perfect accessories for President Clinton. Felt, buttons, paper, brads and some hot glue.

May I present President Bill Clinton. It's hard to tell by President Clinton is holding a saxophone. The puppet had to be holding an object related to the paper and presentation Lissy had to prepare. The puppet ended up being the easy part. The paper and presentation were very tough on her.

Next on my craft to do list is a felt book for my nephew and some projects for the baby's room. Hopefully I will have some good stuff to post soon.

Birthdays (long and pic heavy)

This post is way over due. My birthday was Feb. 10, and it was one to remember. I decided to use the gift card my wonderful hubby got me to my favorite spa/salon for a pedicure. I don't see my feet well these days but just love getting pedicures. I stopped at my favorite, Chic-fil-A, for lunch on the way, it was my special day after all. I was feeling good and everything was fine and then in an instant I was dizzy. Oh the poor spa gals....they jumped into action, got my feet out of the hot water, ran to get me an orange juice thinking it was my sugar level. By the time they handed me the juice I could barely hear anything and was getting tunnel like vision. I sipped the juice hoping it would help. Well it helped alright, helped me puke in the foot tub. I was so embarrassed. The ladies at Robert's Salon were the best, they cleaned me up and made me sit with them until I felt better. I never felt it coming, it was so strange all I can say is it was just a pregnant thing. Once I felt it was safe I drove home and hurried to get in my jammies to get comfy and nap it off, we had dinner plans. By the time my family was home I felt better and my clothes were clean again. My hubby walked in the door with a white box!!! He got me a cake from my favorite cake lady. Oh YUM!!!

I love IndyCakes. Can't wait to get our anniverary cake in April.
The rest of the day was so much better. Dinner and cake with family.
My birthday was on Thursday and Lissy's party was on Saturday. I had so many projects I intended to complete...I hope my energy level returns after baby arrives. This was Lissy's first Slumber Party. She had 3 guests and lots of plans for the evening. We made aprons for each guests' doll. Wish I had pics of those. I just use felt, ribbon and hot glue. I had purchased the girls' aprons.

Now we are ready to decorate cupcakes and mini cupcakes to take home.

Here's the birthday girl working on her masterpiece. The girls really were creative in applying the frosting and decorations to their cupcakes.
After the girls finished the cupcakes they all headed to the party room (empty baby's room) to play with the dolls. They were told later in the evening we would be having a fashion show so they were busy trading clothing and putting together outfits. The birthday girl insisted on pizza so we dinned on wonderful pizza and such. (I forgot to prepare the mini-pizza's-for the dolls) Then it was time for all the sweets (what was I thinking to have so many sweets and a slumber party???)

I can't believe she is 9!!! So I don't have a good shot of the sweet buffet. I was so excited about it and it turned out really cute. All reds and purples. We had these super cute cupcakes, cotton candy, jello squares, star shaped rice krispie treats, pretzel rods with white chocolate and sprinkles and candy.

Present time. She is so in love with PEACE everything all of a sudden. The pillow is from bubby ;).

Finally fashion show time. The girls were so much fun to watch. Not only did they coordinate outfits but pets too. LOL!!!

Cousin Emma's turn on the runway, her doll is fashionable in a Colt's cheerleading outfit.

Even silly Grandma got into the fashion show. She was sorta like half-time entertainment.

After all of those festivities the girls wanted to get in their jammies. Our next project was to make Valentine's cards for our families. I had red cards and envelopes for each girl and sat out supplies and let them create. The cards were awesome, but better were the messages they added inside.

Next was an American Girl movie and pillow making.

After the pillows were done and some popcorn for the end of the movie I ran out of ideas and energy to keep up with the girls. They found other movies to put on while they were silly talking. I think they were asleep by midnight, I know I was. We had donuts for breakfast, played some games and painted our nails the next morning, All were gone by 10 and we made it to the second service at church. Whew. I think it took me a week to recover. LOL!!! Happy Birthday Melissa!!!

Learning...

Happy Monday!!! I'm trying to stay in a positive mood because there is so much to be done this week. Lissy's birthday slumber party is Saturday evening!!! I hope I get it all done. Oh and that means I either try to recooperate from the party quickly to make an Valentine cards or gifts or I try adding that to my to do list. Next week is also Finals week for me. What else can we add this week? How about my own birthday is Thursday. LOL. I love February.
I was able to get a few projects done and started a few more this weekend. And I am registered for the baby shower coming up in March. (I have to mention any progress and accomplishments I've made.)
I started the blog at the beginning of the year because and had no idea what I was doing. I still am clueless. I have been blog stalking and hopping around a lot. I have to say there are some very talented people out there. I am inspired to create by so many. There is lots to learn about blogging and I am thankful for those who are sharing tips and secrets. Hopefully before the baby comes I will have a better direction for my blog.
I'm not sharing any photos for this post. I've decided to share all of my recent projects together when I post after the big party. My goal is to get a few Valentine's projects done too and post them later this week.

I'm still here...

Yeah, it's been awhile since I posted. Oops!!! I have been sick all week, and very miserable. My schoolwork has kept me busy too. It's hard to write papers when your head is already cloudy. So far school is going good, 2 "A" quizes and 2 "A" papers in one class. I don't have a clue where I'm at in the other class.
It's been a slow week for me but thought I would post the scrapbook pages I completed this weekend. I went to a crop with my sister. I completed 3 pages in one night, that's like a record. LOL Note: I still haven't taken time to play with my camera so the pics aren't that great.

I "Love" this layout.





Another baseball layout...

And a layout for my daughter's Movie birthday party last year.

I am feeling behind on all of the birthday party plans that we have made. Hopefully I will get to crafting this weekend with my party girl. Today, I cut the fleece for the pillows the party girls will be making.

We are sticking to the red and purple theme. When I was cutting the fleece I noticed the edges were rolled a bit so I cut that off, the scraps were inspiring me to make some cute rolled flowers that I have seen on so many of the creative blogs out there. I think there will be a Valentine craft in my future.
Hopefully, I am recovering and will get more creating done so I can share again soon.

Party Decor Part 1

This post is a little late, sorry. We escaped for a night to small indoor waterpark over the weekend and I had to study before classes. Oh and right now I am putting off writing 2 papers that are due tomorrow night and preparing for class tomorrow night.
I'm so bad I don't remember what day last week I made this banner. My daughter's birthday party is coming up and I wanted to get a head start on the decorations. The theme is American Girl Birthday Camp, yep it's her first sleepover party.We are decorating with purple and red stars.
So I made a banner to go on our hutch where the sweet treats will be stationed.

It's not the greatest picture and this is not where it will be hung for the party but you get the idea.

I used my Cricut (that I love so much) and cut 6 red stars and 6 purple stars from cardstock.

Then punched 2 slits for the ribbon on all of the purple stars. I placed the slits so that the red smaller stars would cover them. I cut Red ribbon to length fitting its spot on the hutch and slid all of the purple stars on the ribbon.

Then I adhered the red stars onto the purple stars carefully, I wanted the ribbon to still be able to move so only the tips of the two side points have adhesive and of course the rest of the tips are covered. I cut "Sweets" from the purple cardstock using the Cricut again and added the letters to the front. Can I just tell you much easier the Tweezer Bee is for holding and applying small sticky things like letters. Awesome tool.
Now this banner is put a way in a box of other red and purple party supplies. I have many more decor items we need to make, good thing we have a few weeks.
Time to craft out some A papers and read.

Busy Thursday

Well, I have gotten a lot done today. My goal was to get my craft area cleaned up including the large and always growing pile next to it that included a box that never got unpacked. I did it!!! Oh and had so much fun doing it, I just wanted so bad to get crafty. Hopefully I will find time before Monday.
I also finally finished Chapter 1 for Interpersonal Communication class next week. One chapter to go by Monday and then 2 papers to write by Wednesday night. I started the first paper but really it's only a start. I also have several chapters to read for the Psych class on Wednesday night. Only 5 weeks of 2 classes a week. I hope I make it.
So, while I was cleaning up my craft area I came across some unfinished projects so I finished them...

For Lissy I just added ribbon to one of her shells from our OBX vacation. She loves it and hasn't taken it off since she got home.



For Jackson he had picked out an Aerosmith iron-on months ago so I finally ironed it on. He liked it but not enough to wear to the basketball game tonight. I love how he has developed his own taste in music. He likes such a wide variety.

Well, In an effort to clear out the spare room for the baby I have some items to list for sale. Wish me luck.

Now how do I spice up my blog? I have developed such a blog addiction lately, just lurking mostly but I love all the different layouts or backgrounds and the title banners are so creative too. I will be working on mine as soon as I figure out how.